suggest you ignore the optional automatic; it's simply out of place in this car.
Although the Miata will scoot to 60 mph in about eight seconds, acceleration isn't
really its strongest suit. Handling is. Simply stated, the little roadster begs to be
driven with brio on a winding road. Body roll is minimal, the steering is both light
and pinpoint-sharp, and the extra-cost limited-slip differential allows the driver to
make maximum use of the power available.
Of course there's a tradeoff, in that the low-speed ride is firm, though not harsh.
The brakes are very good, even without ABS, a $900 extra that's baked into one of two
option packages.
Unless you have to have the accoutrements that go with it, the power steering is an
unnecessary expense. Like the automatic transmission option, it's not bad, just
superfluous.
On the other hand, the stiffer shock absorbers that go with the R Package aren't so
stiff as to cause real discomfort, and do make a fine-handling chassis even better.
If there's any fault to find here, it's in the area of noise. Like most convertibles,
the soft top doesn't do much to damp out sound waves. Between wind noise and the sweet
but loud music of the engine, there's a fair amount of interior racket at highway
speeds. Next Page